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2nd LD Writethru: China, Belarus pledge closer comprehensive strategic partnership

Xinhua, September 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

China and Belarus on Thursday have decided to forge a comprehensive strategic partnership, featuring mutual trust and win-win cooperation.

When holding talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and Belarus are good friends and sincere partners. Lukashenko is making a state visit to China from Wednesday to Friday at Xi's invitation.

Hailing the close ever communication and cooperation between China and Belarus at present, Xi said bilateral ties are developing to a higher level.

Xi said China is willing to work with Belarus to maintain the momentum of development and make full use of the chances brought by the Belt and Road Initiative to inject new impetus into relations and benefit the people of two countries.

Both sides are expected to consolidate political trust, keep high-level visits and render firm support to each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, Xi said.

"Political trust is the cornerstone of the China-Belarus comprehensive strategic partnership," said a joint statement signed between the two presidents after their talks. In the statement, the two sides agreed on respecting each other's development path as well as domestic and foreign policies, and supporting each other on issues involving their core interests.

During the talks, Xi expressed his hope that China and Belarus will integrate their development strategies to have more common interests.

Belarus is a reliable friend of China, Lukashenko said, noting that both countries have broad common interests and fruitful cooperation in various fields.

Lukashenko said Belarus supports the Belt and Road Initiative and is ready to integrate its own development strategies with the initiative.

According to the joint statement, China and Belarus decided to make joint efforts to advance the "Belt and Road" building and make the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park Great Stone an exemplary project along the Belt and Road.

The Belarusian side will also work for the alignment of the Belt and Road and the Eurasian Economic Union, said the statement.

According to the statement, the two sides also decided to boost cooperation on trade, investment, finance, transport, security, technological innovation and culture as well as people-to-people exchanges.

They agreed to keep close communication and coordination in regional and international affairs within the United Nations framework.

After their talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of 26 cooperation documents, including a list of measures to push ahead the Belt and Road Initiative.

Prior to the talks, Xi held a red-carpet ceremony to welcome the visiting president.

Earlier on Thursday, Lukashenko also met with Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee and Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, respectively in Beijing. Endi